Hospital treatment waiting times are on the up

Statistics released by the Department of Health show the number of people waiting more than 18 weeks for treatment has soared at six hospital trusts in the region. One of the biggest rises was at Pennine Acute – which runs hospitals in Rochdale, Oldham, Bury and North Manchester.

Waiting times for patients have increased at most hospitals in Greater Manchester, new figures have revealed.

Statistics released by the Department of Health show the number of people waiting more than 18 weeks for treatment has soared at six hospital trusts in the region.

One of the biggest rises was at Pennine Acute – which runs hospitals in Rochdale, Oldham, Bury and North Manchester.

Figures show 79 per cent of people were treated within the 18-week target in February, compared to 90pc in the same period the previous year.

In the NHS in England, waiting for hospital treatment is measured from the date when a GP writes a letter asking for a patient to be seen to the date that treatment is started.

The whole process is not meant to take more than 18 weeks – the limit for waiting promised to patients in the NHS constitution.

But the target was relaxed by the government last June and waiting times have gradually crept up since then.

Britain’s largest healthcare trade union, Unison, slammed the rises and said it feared the situation could get worse as government cuts begin to bite.

Kevin Lucas, Unison regional organiser, told the M.E.N: "The increase in waiting times for patients of the NHS is alarming.

"They show how the NHS is suffering from the government efficiency cuts in NHS funding.

"Pennine Acute Hospitals have to cut £45m this year. That means 1,000 fewer staff providing NHS services in north east Manchester. The situation in our NHS is getting worse and care for patients is clearly at risk."

The number of people waiting more than 18 weeks for treatment also increased at Tameside General, Stepping Hill in Stockport, Central Manchester, Royal Bolton and Salford Royal.

The only hospital trust to improve was the University Hospital of South Manchester – with 89.5pc of patients treated within 18 weeks – up from 82pc the previous February. Trafford General was the best performing hospital in Greater Manchester with 94.5pc of patients starting treatment within 18 weeks.